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Valparaiso University Students Honored as Kemper Scholars

May 19, 2014

Christ College freshmen Victoria Bruick and Eric Smith have been selected from a group of finalists for the incoming class of the prestigious Kemper Scholars Program.

Victoria Bruick, an English and music performance major from Bakersfield, Calif., is a member of the Valparaiso University Symphony Orchestra and the Social Action Leadership Team (SALT). She co-led SALT’s 2014 World Relief Campaign, which totaled $30,137 in funds to provide workshops, childcare, and educational support to Kibera, Kenya.

Eric Smith, an international relations and international economics and cultural affairs major from Dearborn, Mich., is a violinist in the Valparaiso University Symphony Orchestra and a member of the Valparaiso Mock Trial Team, which develops students’ oral advocacy skills, case preparation and presentation, and understanding of the ethical issues involved in trial advocacy.

Sponsored by the James S. Kemper Foundation of Chicago since 1948, the Kemper Scholars Program’s mission is to prepare students for leadership and service, especially in the fields of organizational administration and business. The Foundation believes that undergraduate study of the liberal arts represents the best preparation for life and career.

Kemper Scholars receive annual scholarships up to $10,000 based on need during their sophomore, junior, and senior years of college. Kemper Scholars also receive stipends to cover the costs of their work as interns in major non-profit organizations in Chicago during the summer following their sophomore year.